Educating the oil and gas generation

The emerging oil and gas industry in Lebanon may have hit a few speed bumps recently, but that hasn’t stopped the country’s universities from starting to think about the industry’s potential. Lebanon’s universities have always graduated students into the oil and gas professions but they are beginning to recognize the demand for specialized programs that will prepare students to work in the petroleum industry in Lebanon if and when the country does extract its hydrocarbons. The Exploration and Production Agreement, which is still awaiting approval from the Lebanese government, requires four-fifths of a company’s local labor be Lebanese nationals. According to one well-informed source, meeting the labor needs for the sector will be a challenge, though it does present an unlikely opportunity. The 80 percent requirement could prompt companies to hire based on merit rather than wasta — informal connections. While political pressure is being applied to hire connected individuals,